1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates in general to electronic communications systems and more particularly to a mobile computing device dock station with a headset jack-heat pipe interface.
2. Background Art
In recent years, demands are increasing for downsizing, slimming, and enhancing performance of electronic devices such as cellular phones. In response to such demands, high performance integrated circuit (IC) chips have been installed in a variety of electronic devices. At the same time, the power and heat generated by these chips has significantly increased. Excessively hot temperatures in electronic device can cause performance problems, malfunctions, charging problems, circuit overloads, short circuiting, and component failure, as well as heat burns and other injuries to the user.
Computer and cellular (cell) phone processors generate more heat from more powerful processors the longer the processors are used and the more programs and applications (APs) are being used. When cell phones are used for an extended period of time, especially for process-heavy applications, they heat up more than usual. The phone's battery heats up when the phone is in use for a phone call, in navigating with a global positioning system (GPS), or when used for video streaming, video viewing and/or recording. Hot batteries have trouble charging.
A heat sink disperses heat from other parts, components, and structures. Heat sinks are used in computers as well as cellular (cell) phones. A radiator draws heat away from a car's engine, while an internal heat sink draws heat away from a cell phone's central processing unit (CPU). Internal heat sinks can effectively cool some of the heat emitted from cell phone processors, such as from processors that simultaneously run multiple programs. Without a quality heat sink and heat transfer system, a cell phone processor is at risk of overheating and its performance limited by maximum allowable temperature limits.
Heat can be transferred in three different ways: convection, radiation, and conduction. Conduction of heat is transferred in a solid, such as in a heat sink. Conduction occurs when two objects with different temperatures come into contact with one another. At the point where the two objects meet, the faster moving molecules of the warmer object crash into the slower moving molecules of the cooler object. When this happens, the faster moving molecules from the warmer object give energy to the slower moving molecules, which in turn heats the cooler object. This process is known as thermal conductivity, which is how internal heat sinks transfer heat away from the cell phone processor.
The temperature of the surface of a portable electronic device is a function of the temperature of the operational components disposed within the portable electronic device. To provide a satisfactory user experience, the surface temperatures of the portable electronic devices should be managed within a certain temperature range, one example of which ensures that the surface of a portable electronic device never exceeds about 38° C. If the surface temperature exceeds this predetermined threshold, the performance of internal components may need to be throttled to stay within certain parameters. The cause of mobile temperature rise is the dissipation within the components in the mobile electronics device. Moreover, in addition to surfaces, other components within the device can also become heated by being located in proximity to the heat generating components. Examples of these heat contact path components include the battery and display.
The functional performance of portable electronic devices, such as mobile computing devices, is limited by the amount of heat that is dissipated due to operating temperature limits of their internal components, such as the main battery, display, and other parts and components of the mobile computing devices. A particularly challenging environment is when a portable electronic device is cradled in a car dock due to the extra heat load and thermal radiation intensity from the sun.
Many conventional cell phones and other electronic devices with high end applications processors (APs), modems, and multiple power amplifiers (PAs) are generating more heat than the cell phone or other electronic device can support by itself without going over the specified surface temperature and component temperature limits. There is a major need to remote this heat to facilitate acceptable and even better performance of cell phones and other electronic devices.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an improved mobile communications system with a mobile computing device dock station and a headset jack heat pipe interface, which overcomes most, if not all of the preceding disadvantages.